Looking through my journals and email, I found out that I was wishing for a lot of good things to happen. I claimed to be “hoping,” but I did not/could not be confident the desired outcome would happen. That is not what hope is about. Hope is more than wishing. [Want to know more? Click here.]

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Daniel 4 is Nebuchadnezzar’s spiritual testimony. It’s a
decree he had sent throughout his kingdom explaining what had happened to him
over the last few years and how God changed his mind towards God and restored
the kingdom to him after 7 years of insanity.

While this is a good chapter to see what a testimony could
look like (for us this should include God’s demonstration of sovereignty in the
life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ). It’s a good read and an
interesting study. However, what impressed me the most is the way
Nebuchadnezzar opened his decree. He praised God.

It
has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God
has done for me:

How
great are His signs,

And
how mighty are His wonders!

His
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And His dominion is
from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:2-3)

This opening is something to be considered when we talk
about what God has done for us. In order to do this God’s praises need to be on
my mind as much as is humanly possible, thus my vow to God to praise Him
everyday. Doing that keeps God’s power, love, righteousness and His other
characteristics readily available in my heart and mind.

So, join me today in praising God. If I get “stuck” and
can’t think of anything to say/write, I turn to the Psalms of David. No matter
what situation we find ourselves in, David (or another psalmist) faced a
similar trial and yet praised God. I often go to the following Psalms: Psalm 3,
Psalm 8, Psalm 9, Psalm 29, Psalm 40, Psalm 136, and Psalm 145.

Choose one of those Psalms or a favorite of yours and pause
right now to pray it back to God in a song of praise.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

The first few chapters in the book of Daniel (one of the
minor prophets in the Old Testament) tells us familiar stories: Daniel’s
resolve not to defile himself; Daniel interpreting the king’s dream; Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace; the writing on the wall; Daniel in
the lions’ den; etc. In chapter 3 the incident in the fiery furnace is told. I
saw two things about Nebuchadnezzar (the ancient king of Babylon) that I don’t
want to be characteristic in my life.

Nebuchadnezzar had a bad temper. In verse 13 we see the
first indication of the king’s temper when he is told that Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego did not bow to worship the king’s gods or golden statue as the
king had commanded. We know that those three Hebrews were withholding their
worship for the one and only True God, the God of Israel. “Then Nebuchadnezzar
in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then
these men were brought before the king. When the Hebrews said they would not
bow down to the statue even if Nebuchadnezzar gave them a second chance, the
king blew a gasket. “Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial
expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He answered by
giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.”
The king didn’t think through the consequences and just let his temper roar. He
lost several valiant warriors as the fire burned them up as they were trying to
drop the three men into the furnace. (That should have been a hint right there
that God was at work because the warriors were consumed by fire and the three
men were still untouched by the flames.)

One of the cross references I read was Ecclesiastes 7:9: “Do
not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of
fools.” I do not want to be like the king and be so filled with anger that it
comes out without my even thinking about it – that is an indication that one is
a fool.

Nebuchadnezzar didn’t know or expect the God Most High to
work. After the three men were in the fire a while, the king noticed something.
“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he responded
and said to his high officials, ‘Was it not three men we cast bound into the
midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O king.’ He
answered and said, ‘Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst
of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the
gods!’ (Daniel 3:24-25)” I want to be eager and expectant of God working in my
life and the world today. I don’t want to be surprised because I didn’t believe
God can and will work like Nebuchadnezzar was. Psalm 5:3 tells my desire: “In
the morning, O Lord, Thou wilt hear my voice; In the morning I will order my
prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.” I want to be eagerly watching for the great
things God is doing and will do. I still might be surprised when I see exactly
how He works things out, but I do not want to be surprised in my unbelief that
He will work.

Let’s not be like Nebuchadnezzar. Let’s deal with the anger
in our hearts and let’s wait eagerly, expectantly for God’s work in our lives.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

My Bible study partner, Kris, had a great insight as we
studied Daniel 2. Daniel points out that the dream the king (Nebuchadnezzar, a
Gentile) was a vision from God. This is a turning point in the history of the
world that is still being seen today. God begins communicating with the world
through Gentiles.

The notes, in several places, say that this is a change.
Prior to this point, God spoke only through Israelites – prophets and leaders,
mostly. Here God gave Nebuchadnezzar a vision while he was on his bed (not
necessarily asleep, but possibly). A Gentile getting a message from God!
However, Nebuchadnezzar did not understand what he saw and heard. Daniel came
before the king and told him, “However, there is a God
in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar
what will take place in the latter days . . .” (Daniel 2:28a). God made the
future known to a Gentile. Not just any Gentile, but a king who was caught up
in worship of false gods. It doesn’t matter how far a person is from God; God
can use them. If He can do that, He can use me. He can use you. He can use
anyone. We all have a role in getting the word out about the greatness and
power, judgment and holiness, compassion and love of God Almighty.

Nebuchadnezzar needed some insight into the full meaning of
the dream. Daniel comes to the rescue. God again emphasizes the turning point
between the rule of the world passing from the Israelites to the Gentiles, by
the language Daniel used to tell the dream and its interpretation. The language
switches in verse 4 as the Chaldeans start to speak to the king. Daniel records
their words in the Aramaic language, the language they were speaking in. Much
of the rest of Daniel is in Aramaic. It’s a time in history where the Gentiles
begin to become the powerhouses of the world system.

It’s still that way today. Europe, the United States, Russia,
and China are lead by Gentiles. The Jews and the Jewish nation play only a
small role in the overall balance in the world today. Eventually that will
change again – at Jesus’ second coming. We believers look forward to that time
as it means we will be with Jesus and the Father again. Everyone else should
get right with God before that time comes. Repent and rely on Jesus for
salvation and for a standard to daily living.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

I’ve mentioned before my praise vow. This week God keeps
bringing to my mind and heart Daniel’s prayer of praise in Daniel 2:20-23. As I
repeated Daniel’s prayer in my own times of praise, I’ve been comforted and
encouraged to keep praising God.

Daniel praised this way (Daniel 2:20-23 NASB):

Daniel answered and said,

“Let the name of God be blessed forever
and ever,

For wisdom and power belong to Him.

And it is He who changes the times and
the epochs;

He removes kings and establishes kings;

He gives wisdom to wise men,

And knowledge to men of understanding.

It is He who reveals the profound and
hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

And the light dwells with Him.

To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give
thanks and praise,

For Thou hast given me wisdom and
power;

Even now Thou hast made known to me
what we requested of Thee,

For
Thou hast made known to us the king’s matter.

A commentary highlighted 15 reasons for praising God:

1.Wisdom
belongs to Him (Daniel 2:20).

2.Power
belongs to Him (Daniel 2:20).

3.He
changes the times (Daniel 2:21).

4.He
changes the seasons (Daniel 2:21).

5.He
removes kings (Daniel 2:21).

6.He
sets up kings (Daniel 2:21).

7.He
gives wisdom to the wise (Daniel 2:21).

8.He
gives knowledge to men who have understanding (Daniel 2:21).

9.He
reveals deep things (Daniel 2:21).

10.He
reveals secret things (Daniel 2:21).

11.He
knows what is in darkness (Daniel 2:22).

12. He dwells in light
(Daniel 2:22; 1 Tim. 6:16).
13. He has given me wisdom (Daniel 2:23).
14. He has given me power (Daniel 2:23).
15. He has answered prayer by revealing to us the king's matter (Daniel 2:23).

I’m focusing on these reasons for praising God this week
(and probably for the next several weeks as I attempt to memorize verses
20-23). I want to be like Daniel (resolved and confident in God). So I need to
do as Daniel did.

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by Mary B. GrimmFROM THE FOREWORD: Mary’s journey has involved facing the dysfunction of her family of origin, her ways of coping through addictions and compulsions, wrestling with diabetes and bipolar disorder. In the process she has gleaned valuable, hard earned truths. Her willingness to offer these truths to you and me is a gift that has come at great cost.